Cambridge Liberal Democrats

Shopping centre project pushed forward for costing

Traders and residents have pushed forward a package of ideas to improve the shopping centre at Cambridge's Wulfstan Way.

They want to see more lighting and seating, extra parking which could be controlled so that it could be used exclusively for shoppers, and better signage to the shops.

Local schools and colleges could be involved in producing some public art and a community notice board would be a good idea, they have told city councillors.

Landscaping work and possibly improved recycling facilities were also ideas that were supported at a meeting to discuss the revitalisation of the council-owned shopping centre.

Now Councillors Amanda Taylor and Viki Sanders - who with newly elected Jean Swanson represent Queen Edith's Ward - will take the ideas back to the city council for detailed costings. The council has already set aside £101,000 for the work.

The project will be discussed again at the council's South Area Committee on September 9.

Cllr Taylor said: "The meeting was extremely useful and we have progressed some very good ideas on how to improve this parade of shops.

"We considered the various proposals put forward by officers marking them using a traffic light system - red for those that we didn't want to take forward, green for those we did and orange for a 'maybe'."

Cllr Sanders added: "As this is such a strong community project where residents and traders have been involved from the outset, it would be wonderful if schools and colleges could produce some of the public art for the centre.

"We want to make sure that everyone feels that they have had a hand in the end result."